Lid forming machine



Aug. 1958 R. A. BROCK 2,848,856

LID FORMING MACHINE INVENTOR RICHARD A. BROGK Jim/ ATTORNEY Aug. 26, 1958 R. A. BROCK LID FORMING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 3, 1957 INVENTQR RICHARD A. BROOK ATTORNEY Aug. 26, 1958 R. A. BROCK LID FORMING MACHINE s Shets-Sheet 3 Filed June 3, 1957 Herr FIG. 6

FIG 3 INVENTOR RICHARD A. BROOK i ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofiice 2,848,856 Patented Aug. 26, 1958 LID FORMING MACHINE Richard A. Brock, Chattanooga, Tenn. Application June 3, 1957, Serial No. 663,047

Claims. (Cl. 53-287) This invention relates to a lid-forming machine and more particularly to a machine for forming alid having a top and four side walls from a paperboard blank around a material-fillled box tray having a bottom and four side walls. The paperboard lid blank has a top wall, front and rear walls having tabs extending from each endv thereof, and side walls.

Heretofore, in the candy industry, the lid and the tray of a candy box have been formed from paperboard blanks in two separate operations. Both the tray and the lid have been formed in separate machines upon mandrels, and when completed the tray has been manually filled with candy, and the lid manually fitted over the tray. The closed box filled with candy has then' been Wrapped and processed by conventional means.

It is therefore an object of this invention to simplify the packaging of candy or other materials in boxes by combining a plurality of old operations in a single machine.

A further object of this invention is to employ a tray filled with material, such as candy, as'a mandrel for forming the lid.

Another object of this invention is toeliminate the extra step of closing the lid over the tray, by forming a lid directly on the material-filled tray.

A further object of this invention is to custom fit the lid over a tray for each material-filled box.

Another object of this invention is to provide a more economical method of packaging candy in boxes by saving the labor of approximately five operators and requiring a minimum of floor space.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent fiom the following description taken in con.- junction with the drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is top plan view of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation looking from the right side of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section, with some parts omitted for clarity of illustration, taken along the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a section taken along the line 44: of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a section taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Figs. 68 are diagrammatic elevational views showing the elevator in various positions;

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic top plan view showing the operation of folding the front flaps of the lid blank;

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic top plan view showingthe operation of folding the rear' flaps of the lid blank;

Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic end elevation disclosing the;

application of glue to the inner sides of. the lid side walls; and

Fig. 12 is a diagrammatic top plan View disclosing the folding of the lid side walls.

Referring to the drawings in more detail, Figs. 2 and 3, the machine is supported on a frame 10. Mounted on the frame 10 is a motor 11 which drives thev main drive shaft 16, clutch 17, sprocket 18, chain 19 and main drive cessively to each other.

shaft sprocket 20. Mounted on the end of the drive shaft 12 is a hand wheel 21.

The mechanism for feeding trays 22 full of material, such as candy, into the machine comprises a conveyor belt 23, supported at its front end by a roller 24 and at its rear end by a drive roller 25 mounted on the main drive shaft 12. Mounted on opposite sides of the conveyor belt 23 are laterally adjustable guide plates 26 for box trays 22 of different lengths.

At the rear end of the conveyor belt 23 is a tray elevator 27 (Fig. 3) mounted for vertical reciprocation. upon the rod 28, provided with lightening holes 29. The elevator rod 28 is reciprocated bya crank arm 30 through links 31, 32, 33 and 34, the ends of which are pivoted suc- The links. 32 and 33' are keyed to each other and are pivoted to a stationary part of the frame 10 at 35. The crank arm 30 is driven by the elevator shaft 36, which. in turn is driven by the main drive shaft 12 through the miter gears 37 (Fig. 4).

The elevator 27 reciprocates between its lowermost loading position at the end of the conveyor belt 23', as illustrated in Fig. 6, and its uppermost position in which the top of the elevator 27 is flush with the floor of the folding channel 38, as illustrated in Fig. 8, Fig. 7, being an intermediate position.

Mounted above the conveyor belt 23 is a reciprocable. horizontal floor plate 39 in the same plane as the floor of the folding channel 38, and adapted to slide beneath a tray 22, when elevated to its uppermost position, at approximately the same time as the elevator 27 begins its descent. The floor plate 39 is. reciprocated by arms 40 (Figs. 1 and 2) pivoted to arms 41, the opposite ends of which are journaled for independent rotary motion on a rotatable shaft 42. The right arm 41' is given a rotary motion through a link arm 43 fixed to the right arm 41 and pivoted to a cam follower 44 engaging a cam 45 mounted on the main drive shaft 12.

As illustrated in Figs. 1, 8 and 9, a pair of flap folding guides 46 are adapted to reciprocate over the floor plate 39 and the folding channel 38. The folding guides 46 are mountedon a guide frame 47 having lightening holes 48. The frame 47 is reciprocated by means of the link arms 49, the ends of which are pivoted to link arms 50 (Figs. 2, 4 and 5). The bottom ends of the link. arms 50 are fixed on the rotatable shaft 42. The left link arm 50 is provided with an extension 51 pivoted to link arm 52, which is reciprocated by a crank arm 53 driven by the main drive shaft 12.

Near the front end of the folding channel 38 are a pair of stationary flap guides. 54, which are curved outward and to the front. In alignment with the stationary fiap guides 54 are the side guide Walls 55 of the folding channel 38. Mounted on the outside of the side guide walls 55 are mechanisms 56 (Figs. 1, 2" and 1 1) for applying adhesive to the walls of a lid blank 57'.

Mounted to the rear of and in substantial alignment with the side guide Walls 55 are a pair of stationary lid. side Wall folding guides 58 (Figs. 1 and 12) Whichare in alignment with rear channel walls 59. Beyond and substantially in alignment with the channel Walls 59' are. a. pair of conveyor belts 60 adapted to rotate about vertical axes and adapted to provide movable walls for conveying a box covered with a completed lid. The conveyor belts 60 are long enough to afford ample time for. the adhesive to adhere to the folded parts of the lid, and (Fig. 2) are driven through a plurality of chains 64 and sprockets from the main drive shaft 12.

A pair of top guide bars 61 (Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 11) are yieldinglysuspended from frame bars 62 and 63 to retain the lid blank 57 on top of the tray 22, asthe entire box is processed from the elevator 27 to the conveyor belts 60.

The mechanism for feeding the lid blanks 57 into the path of the elevator 27 is best disclosed in Figs. 1 and 3. A lid blank magazine 66 supports an inclined stack of lid blanks 57. Dispensing arms 67 having suction cups 68 on one end are pivoted at their opposite ends 69 to the base of the magazine 66. Pneumatic cylinders 78 having pistons 71 are connected through link arms 72 to the dispensing arms 67L When the pneumatic cylinders 70 are activated, the dispensing arms 67 rotate about their pivoted ends 69 to release one lid blank at a time from the magazine 66. On every rotation of the dispensing arms 67, the suction cups 68 adhere to the bottom lid blank and pull the lid blanks down, one at a time, to a horizontal position on a conveyor chain 73. The conveyor chain 73 is provided with lugs 74 for carrying the lid blanks to a position within the path of the elevator where the blanks are held by stationary guides 75 (Figs. 6-8).

The operation of the machine is such that when the clutch 17 is engaged by means of the clutch handle 76, the parts set in motion are the feed belt 23, the reciprocable floor plate 39, the reciprocable flap folding guides 46 and the vertical rotating conveyor belts 68.

When the switch 77 is activated by the passage of trays 22 over the feed belt 23, the operation of the elevator 27, the lid blank dispensing arms 67 and the conveyor chain 73 is begun. When the switch 77 is tripped, it activates an electromagnet 78 which pulls a rod 79 toward the front, camming a cutout knockout pin 80, disclosed in Figs. 4 and 5, 'up to trip an over-riding clutch 81 and permit rotation of the elevator shaft 36. The over-riding clutch may be of any particular structure but, as disclosed in Figs. 4 and 5, when the main drive shaft 12 is idling, the miter gears 37 rotate and carry with them cam 82.

When the machine is idling, the cutout knockout pin 80 is depressed, engaging the upper portion of the latch 83 to disengage the lower portion of the latch from a recess 84 in the'cam 82. As previously explained, when the cutout knockout pin 80 is raised, the latch 83 is disengaged from the knockout pin 80 and is permitted to engage the recess 84 to permit the cam 82 to carry the overriding clutch 81. As shown in Fig. l, the forward end of the elevator shaft 36 drives a sprocket 85, chain 86, sprocket 87, and a feed chain drive shaft 8 8, which in turn drives the lid-blank conveyor chain 73 by means of the sprocket 89, chain 98 and sprocket 91.

, The switch 77 activates a timing means, not shown, to

begin the reciprocation of the piston 71 within the pneumatic cylinder 70. An air compressor 92 (Fig. 3) is mounted on the frame 10 to supply air to the pneumatic cylinder 7 0.

The operation of the machine is as follows: box trays filled with materials such as candy are placed on the front end of the conveyor 23. The magazine 66 is filled with a stack of lid blanks 57 The clutch handle 76 is operated to start the rotation of the main drive shaft 12, which causes the operation of the feed conveyor belt 23, the reciprocable floor plate 39, the flap folding guides 46 and the Vertical rotating conveyor belts 60.

As the trays 22 are advanced by the conveyor belt 23, they engage the switch 77 to start the operation of the .remaining parts of the machine, as previously described. All the elements of the machine are synchronized to carry out the operations disclosed in Figs. 6l2. Fig. 6 discloses a box 22 which has been fed by the conveyor belt 23 onto thejtop of the elevator 27 in its lowermost loading position. A lid blank 57 has been positioned in the stationary lid blank guides 75 in the path of the movement of "the elevator 27. The floor plate 39 and the flap folding guides 46 have been reciprocated toward the front of the machine and out of the path of the elevator. Fig. 7 discloses the next. operational movement, in which the elevator rod 2'8 is urged upward until the tray 22 engages the lid blank'57 to carry the top wall of the lid blank upward with the tray and to permit the stationary guides 75 to fold the front and rear walls of the blank 4 V downward against the front and rear walls of the trayr22.

Fig. 8 discloses the next operational movement, in which the elevator has attained its uppermost position and its top is flush with the floor of the folding channel 38. As best disclosed in Fig. 9, as soon as the elevator has attained its uppermost position, the floor plate 39 is moved beneath the bottom of the tray 22 as the elevator 27 begins its descent, and the flap folding guides 46 are also urged rearwardly to fold the front end tabs hinged to the front wall of the lid blank against the side walls of the tray 22. In the samemovement, as shown in Fig. 10, the floor plate 39 and the flap folding guides 46 carry the tray and lid between the stationary flap guides 54, which fold the rear end tabs hinged to the rear wall of the lid blank against the side walls of the tray 22. Continuous motion of the floor plate 39 and the flap folding guides 46 carries the tray 22 and the partially folded lid blank 57 between the side guide walls 55, where the tray and lid come to rest until they are moved rearward by another tray and lid on the next operational movement of the floor plate 39'and the flap foldingv guides 46. For each cycle of movement of the elevator 27, another lid blank 57 is fed to the guides by the dispensing arm 67 and the conveyor chain 73.

As the tray and lid are moved along the folding chan-' nel 38 between the side guide walls 55, glue or other adhesive is applied to the inner sides of the unfolded side walls of the lid blank 57 by the adhesive applicator mechanism 56. As best disclosed in Fig. 11, the mechanism 56 comprises a pair of rollers 93 rotating in glue pots or other adhesive receptacles 94. The rollers are adapted to spread glue on the inner sides of the side walls when the outer sides of the side walls are urged downwardly by plungers 95, operated pneumatically by a mechanism not shown. Continued advance of the boxes will cause the stationary guides 58 (Figs. 1, 2 and 12) to engage and fold the side walls of the lid down against the front and rear end tabs of the lid. The side walls will be held in position by the rear channel walls 59 and subsequently by the rotating conveyor belts 60' for a sufficient length of time to permit adhesive on the inner sides of the side walls to adhere to the frontand rear end tabs of the lid blank. The material-filled tray 22 with the lid blank 57 completely folded and secured to custom fit the tray may then be wrapped by conventional wrapping machines.

In summary, therefore, the machine contemplated by this invention starts with a tray 22 full of material such as candy and a lid blank 57, scored for folding into a lid having a top and side walls, and folds andcustom fits the lid blank 57 about the tray 22, which functions as a mandrel, and completes the box for further wrapping or processing, if desired.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention, without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is shown in the drawings and described in the specification, but only as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A machine for forming a lid from a paperboard blank, having side walls and front and rear walls with front and rear tabs thereon, upon a material-filled paperboard box tray comprising a folding channel, an elevator movable from a tray receiving position to a position in line with the floor of said channel, means for feeding a lid blank across a tray when said elevator is in tray receiving position, means for moving said elevator upward, stationary guide means for folding the front and rear walls of said lid blank down against the front and rear tray walls as said elevator moves upward, guide means operative to fold the front end tabs of said lid,

blank against the opposite sides of said tray, means for moving said tray and lid rearwardly through said folding channel. stationary guides adapted to fold the rear end tabs of the rear walls against opposite side walls of said tray, means for applying glue to the inner sides of said unfolded side walls, and stationary guide means for folding said side walls down against the tray side walls and into adhesive engagement with said front and rear end tabs as said boxes move rearwardly.

2. A machine for forming a lid about a materialfilled box tray from a lid blank comprising a top Wall, front, rear and side walls hinged to said top wall, and end tabs hinged to the extremities of said front and rear walls, comprising a folding channel, a tray loading station below said folding channel, an el vator movable between said loading station and said folding channel, conveyor means for feeding material-filled trays to said loading station and to said elevator in loading position, stationary guide means for receiving the lid blank in a position between the loading station and said folding channel in a plane perpendicular to the direction of the elevator, means for feeding lid blanks to said lid guide means, means for moving said elevator carrying a material-filled tray upward against a lid causing said lid guide means to fold said front and rear walls down against the front and rear walls of said tray until said elevator is in alignment with said folding channel, end tab folding plates movable rearwardly to fold said front end tabs against the side Walls of said tray, means for moving said box rearwardly through said folding channel, stationary end tab folding guides for folding said rear end tabs against the side wall of said tray when said trays move rearwardly, stationary adhesive means on opposite sides for applying adhesive to the inner sides of said unfolded side walls, stationary side wall guide means for folding said lid side walls against and into adhesive engagement with said front and rear end tabs when said tray moves rearwardly, and conveyor means for moving said tray and lid rearwardly to a discharge point and for holding said side walls against said end tabs to permit the solidification of said adhesive.

3. A machine for forming a lid about a tray from a lid blank comprising a top wall, front, rear and side walls hinged to said top wall, and end tabs hinged to the extremities of said front and rear Walls, comprising a folding channel, a tray loading station below said folding channel, an elevator movable between said loading station and said folding channel, means for feeding a tray upon said elevator at said loading station, means for feeding a lid blank to a position in the path of said elevator and between said loading station and said folding channel, means for folding said front and rear walls of said lid blank against the walls of said tray when said elevator is moved upwardly, means operative to fold the front tabs against the side walls of said tray and simultaneously move said tray and lid from the elevator into said folding channel, stationary guide means on said folding channel for folding the rear tabs of said lid against the side walls of said tray, means for applying adhesive to the inner sides of said unfolded lid side walls, and stationary guide means associated with said folding channel for folding said lid side walls against and into adhesive engagement with the tabs of said lid blank.

4. The invention according to claim 3 in which the means for folding the front and rear walls of said lid comprise slotted stationary guide means for positioning said lid in the path of said elevator, in such a manner that when a tray carried by said elevator is moved upwardly the top of the tray will engage and carry upward the top Wall of the lid blank causing the slotted stationary guide means to fold the front and rear walls of the lid against the front and rear walls of the tray.

5. The invention according to claim 4 in which a lid blank feeding mechanism is provided, said feeding mechanism comprising a lid blank magazine, arms pivoted below said magazine, suction cups on the ends of said arms, means for reciprocating said pivoted arms to engage and discharge a lid blank from said magazine, and a continuous conveyor chain for conveying a lid blank from said magazine to said slotted guide means. the elevator and the pivoted arms having the same cyclical movement.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

